Quoted: Sweet. I have one that I'm waiting to build. I just need to get the lower receiver.
I don't understand the differences between inch and metric, care to expand on that?
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Apart from the obvious Imperial vs Metric systems in construction, the differences are few but very important.
The main differences are:
- Different method of breeching the barrel (uses a washer or 'breeching ring' instead of making contact with the receiver directly
- Different buttstock
- Different fire control parts
- Different grip (manditory because of the different fire control parts)
- Different lower (again, manditory because of the different fire control parts)
- Different mag release (but interchangable)
- L1A1 has a disabled bolt hold open (you can manually engage it, but the pin that rides the follower has either been ground off or never installed)
- Different mag catch
- Different magazine
- Different bolt carrier (but interchangable)
All but a very few L1A1s constructed in this country have the metric mag well. This one is metric. This is a benefit because of the price and number of metric mags. I believe that Century contracted a group of L1A1 proper guns a couple years ago, and they had the proper 'inch' mag catch. Inch mags are tougher and are of a better design, but are much less common and when you do find them, they are often beaten up a bit. They say you can use a metric mag in a inch mag well, but it's awfully sketchy. You cannot use an inch mag in a metric guns. The difference is that the inch mag catch is a large lug soldered onto the mag, whereas the metric one is a small catch pressed out of the steel.
Basically, stick to one type (inch or metric) and go with it. You can swap the entire lowers, but the sights will be off badly as the inch sights are taller. Some remedy this by using Israeli sights wich are the tallest of the Metric sights.
For the record, the ONLY thing metric guns have over inch is the bolt hold open. Supposedly this was to keep debris out and increase reliability. I used a STG58 hold open on this one, so it has it...